Batali coffee blends to perk up Target shelves

MINNEAPOLIS — Target already has famous TV chef GIada De Laurentis selling her products on its shelves, but the retailer is teaming up with another celebrity foodie for a new product line.

 

The company said it is launching a Mario Batali coffee range. Caffé Italiano, a collection of Italian-style coffees, will sell at select Target stores nationwide and online at Target.com. The coffee is a product of a unique collaboration between Batali and Todd Carmichael, founder and CEO of La Colombe, world-renowned specialty coffee roaster.

 

“One of life’s greatest joys is sitting in an Italian café with good friends and enjoying a great cup of coffee or espresso,” Batali said. “I challenged La Colombe to create a selection of coffees that replicates these wonderful moments, and I am thrilled with the results of their expert craftsmanship.”

 

On an episode of Travel Channel’s Dangerous Grounds, Carmichael’s television series based around coffee, Batali challenged Carmichael to create blends that capture the Italian coffee experience. Mario Batali Caffé Italiano is a result of that mission.

 

“Caffé Italiano embraces all that is beautiful about Italian coffee,” Carmichael said. “We use specialty grade beans to create the perfect balance between bitter and acidity, combining traditional old world coffee with new world upgrades. The result is a big coffee with big crema and body.”

 

The culinary tastemaker and premier coffee roaster partnered to create blends across flavor profiles and sources, including:

 

Abruzzo Blend: A dark roasted nutty blend from Haiti, Brazil and Ethiopia.

Roma Blend: A medium roasted blend with flavor hints of milk chocolate from Haiti, Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia.

Amalfi Blend: A decaffeinated blend from Brazil and Sumatra.

 

The coffee is available in whole bean and ground.